What types of van are available?

-- 12.03.2023

Are you thinking about buying a van? Then you should bear in mind that there are different types. Basically, these are all commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, which are ideal for tradespeople. Read on to discover how they differ and which one is best suited for your intended use.

What types of vans are on the market and for what purposes can they be used?

Vans offer payloads of 0.5 to 1.5 tonnes, and payloads of up to 3.5 tonnes are possible with trucks. There are small, medium and large models. For tradespeople, vans are the ideal utility vehicles, because you can use them to transport a wide variety of tools, materials, building materials or anything else. Of course, any van you choose should offer sufficient space for the intended purpose. How you use it is crucial.

Buying a van – you can choose from the following:

• Panel van
• Transporter
• Minibus
• Delivery van
• Multi-purpose vehicle
• Box truck
• Platform truck

Panel van

These commercial vehicles have a fully enclosed load compartment on all sides. The box and cab form a single unit. However, the load compartment is usually separated from the driver’s compartment by a partition or similar. Panel vans are the ideal delivery van for tradespeople. Size, payload and engine capacity vary.

Transporter

Transporter vans are available as small vans or larger vans. The total weight is up to 7.5 tonnes. So they can also belong to the truck category. These versatile and adaptable vehicles have a driver’s cab and various superstructures. Depending on what you want to transport as a tradesperson, you can buy the van that offers you the appropriate load capacity. Small transporters include the:

• Mercedes Vito
• VW Transporter

Transporters with greater load capacity include the:

• Ford Transit
• Mercedes Sprinter
• VW Crafter

You can expand the load space by folding down the rear seats. Large doors facilitate loading and unloading.

Minibus

The minibus is also a kind of small transporter van, one that has up to nine seats. There are also windows. These vehicles are not only great for transporting people, but also as removal vans. With the high roof structure, they offer enough space.

Multi-purpose vehicles

Multi-purpose vehicles are compact vehicles where everything is a little higher:

• Bodywork
• Interior
• Seat position

The box protrudes above the roof of the driver’s compartment and the entire interior length offers a large volume.

Buying a delivery van as a transporter

Delivery vans belong to the category of panel vans, for example the Mercedes-Benz Vito. They are indispensable in delivery and logistics transportation and are ideal for transporting a wide variety of goods.

Box truck

Whatever you, as a tradesperson, want to transport, box trucks protect the load from sliding around and from the weather thanks to the solid drop sides and anchors. While in trucks, the body is separated from the cab, some smaller vans have a passageway.

Platform truck

Platform trucks are vans that have a driver’s cab at the front and an open loading area at the rear. The loading area is the “platform” or flatbed, which does not have a roof. You can fold down the side walls, which makes unloading easier. There are also platform trucks with a tarpaulin to protect the load. These models are mostly used to transport heavy, oversized or wide goods. A partition wall protects the driver from the load.

Conclusion:

Are you thinking about buying a van? As you can see, there’s a lot to choose from. Depending on what you, as a tradesperson, want to transport, you will find very different types of transport options with the right load volume. The most suitable variant will depend on your intended use.